Drink container with ice flow dam

ABSTRACT

The drink container with ice flow dam is formed as a unitary structure, the ice flow dam being ally and permanently formed with the beverage container. The container may have any practicable shape, e.g., conventional drinking glass, martini glass, coffee cup, etc. The ice flow dam may extend partially or completely about the upper, inner circumference of the beverage container, and may have any practicable pattern of liquid passages, serrations about its inner periphery, etc., so long as an open area is provided through the otherwise open area of the top of the container for the placement of solids such as ice, drink garnishes, etc. within the container. The container and its integral ice flow dam may be formed of any practicable material, e.g., glass, plastic, or even metal, and the container and/or ice flow dam may be colored or tinted.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to individual serving capacity beverage containers, drinking vessels, and the like, and more particularly to a drink container with ice flow dam disposed integrally therewith and extending at least partially about the upper, inner circumference of the container to keep the beverage cool.

2. Description of the Related Art

The inclusion of ice in various beverages (sodas, ice tea, etc.) to keep the beverage at a very cold and refreshing temperature has been known for decades. Generally, some quantity of ice (cubes, etc.) is placed loosely in the container and the beverage is poured thereover, or the ice may be placed into the container after the beverage has been poured therein. Either way, the ice chills the beverage to provide a more refreshing drink, particularly on a warm day.

However, a chronic problem with such iced drinks served in individual containers is the shifting of the ice within the container as the container is tipped to allow the consumer to drink. This is generally not too much of a problem when the container is relatively full, but as the contents are consumed the container must be tilted ever more toward the horizontal from the vertical. This usually results in the ice suddenly shifting in the container, with some of the remaining beverage and ice sloshing into the face and perhaps down the front of the consumer.

The annoyance resulting from such mishaps has long been recognized, and various ice-retaining devices for insertion in a beverage container have been developed in the past as a result. An example of such is found in German Patent Publication No. 20,319,157, published on Mar. 11, 2004, which describes (according to the drawings and English abstract) a number of embodiments of devices removably installable within a drinking glass, cup, or the like to prevent ice from flowing from the container when it is tipped for drinking. Another example of such a device is found in International Patent Publication No. WO 2004/039,221, published on May 13, 2004, which describes (according to the drawings and English abstract) a spiral-shaped device having an inverted U-shaped clip that secures removably over the edge of a drinking glass or the like to prevent ice from flowing from the container when it is tipped.

None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus, a drink container with ice flow dam solving the aforementioned problems is desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The drink container with ice flow dam comprises an individual drinking glass, vessel, or the like having an ice flow dam formed integrally and permanently therewith so that the glass or vessel and the ice flow dam comprise a unitary structure. The drinking vessel may comprise a frustoconical shape, an inverted conical shape having a supporting stem and base (e.g., martini glass), a container having vertically curved sides (e.g., a “Coke®” glass), a short, squat shape similar to that of a conventional coffee cup or the like, or any other practicable container shape. The ice flow dam is formed in the upper portion of the inner circumference of the container or vessel and may extend partially or completely about the inner circumference, so long as at least the center of the upper portion of the vessel is open for the placement of ice cubes or other solids (e.g., drink garnishes, etc.) therein. The ice flow dam may have any practicable pattern and number of holes, slots, or other liquid passages therethrough, which are configured to allow the flow of a liquid therethrough while blocking the passage of ice or other solids (drink garnishes, etc.) therethrough. The ice flow dam and/or its integral beverage container may be formed of any practicable material, e.g., glass, plastic, or even metal, and may be tinted or colored as desired.

These and other features of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a drink container with ice flow dam according to the present invention, having a semicircumferential ice flow dam extending across a portion of the upper and inner circumference.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a drink container with ice flow dam according to the present invention, having an ice flow dam extending completely about the upper and inner circumference.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of a drink container with ice flow dam according to the present invention, the drink container having an inverted conical configuration with a semicircumferential ice flow dam.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of a drink container with ice flow dam according to the present invention, the drink container having a sinusoidal cross-sectional shape and semicircumferential ice flow dam.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a fifth embodiment of a drink container with ice flow dam according to the present invention, the drink container having a frustoconical shape and a circumferential ice flow dam with a serrated inner edge.

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the drink container and ice flow dam of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is an environmental perspective view of the first embodiment drink container with ice flow dam, showing the blockage of ice flow when the container is tipped for drinking.

FIG. 8 is environmental perspective view of a conventional drink container of the prior art, shown tipped up for drinking and showing the spillage of ice and beverage therefrom.

Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The drink container with ice flow dam includes several embodiments of an individual serving capacity drink container having an ice dam, i.e., a barrier preventing the spillage of ice or other solids (drink garnishes, etc.) therefrom when the container is tipped for drinking. FIG. 1 of the drawings provides an illustration of a first embodiment of the container, designated generally as 110 in the drawing, comprising a drinking glass 112 with an ice dam 114 formed integrally therewith. It will be understood that the term “glass” as used herein is a generic term for individual serving capacity beverage containers in general. The drink container 110 embodiment may be formed of any practicable material, e.g., glass, plastic, metal, etc., just as “eyeglasses” may be formed of glass or hard plastic, etc. The container or glass 112, the ice dam 114, or both may be colored, tinted, or otherwise decorated, or may be left in their natural finish or transparency. The container or glass 112 and/or its integral ice dam 114 may be formed of transparent, translucent, or opaque material. The provision of tint or color, and the provision of opacity, translucence, or transparency, may be applied to any of the other embodiments of the drink container with ice flow dam.

The drinking glass 112 includes a wall 116 having an inner surface 118 and an upper rim 120 defining the span of the open top 122. The closed bottom 124 of the glass 112 is formed integrally with the wall 116. The drinking glass 112 has a somewhat frustoconical shape, the span or diameter of the closed bottom 124 being smaller than the span or diameter of the open top 122. This shape is exemplary and is common to a large percentage of individual serving capacity beverage containers, if not the majority thereof. However, it will be seen that the drink container may have virtually any shape, with various other shapes being illustrated in other drawing Figures and described further below.

The ice flow dam 114 is formed integrally with the glass or container 112, and extends inwardly from a portion of the inner surface 118 of the wall 116 below the upper rim 120 to subtend a portion of the open top area 122. The ice flow dam 114 is a foraminous sheet having a plurality of fluid passages 126 therethrough, the passages 126 being configured to block the passage of relatively large solids (e.g., pieces of ice having a major dimension greater than ¼ inch or so, drink garnishes such as olives, etc.). The precise configuration and dimension of the passages 126 are not particularly critical, so long as they allow the passage of the beverage readily therethrough while blocking larger solids. The long, thin oval shapes of the passages 126 of the ice flow dam 112 of FIG. 1 would work well, in that their major dimension would allow the flow of a reasonable amount of liquid therethrough, while their narrow minor dimension would prevent solids (ice, etc.) of any objectionable size from passing through the passages 126. However, the passages of the ice flow dam may have any practicable shape or size, so long as the function of allowing liquids to pass readily therethrough while blocking solids is maintained.

The ice flow dam 114 is placed below the rim 120 so that the ice flow dam 112 does not contact the upper lip of the user of the glass or container 112 while drinking therefrom. Thus, the act of drinking a beverage from the glass or container 112 is essentially identical to using a conventional glass or container of similar size and shape, except that the user need not be concerned with spillage as he or she tips the glass toward the horizontal to finish the drink. It will be noted that the inner edge of the ice flow dam 114 is somewhat lower than its outer peripheral edge where it joins the wall 116 of the glass or container 112. This provides at least two advantages, in that: (1) the acute angle formed between the underside of the ice flow dam 114 and the wall 116 of the container 112 provides a better “trap” to prevent the escape of ice from the container; and (2) the depression of the center portion of the ice flow dam 114 provides greater clearance from the nose and face of a person drinking from the glass or container 112. This shallow conical depression of the inward portion of the ice flow dam may be adopted in any of the other embodiments of the device, as shown in other drawings.

FIG. 2 provides an illustration of a second embodiment of the drink container with ice flow dam. The container 210 of FIG. 2 is quite similar to the first embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the difference being in the configuration of the ice flow dam 214. The drinking glass 212 includes a wall 216 having an inner surface 218 and an upper rim 220, the upper rim 220 defining the span of the open top 222. The closed bottom 224 of the glass 212 is formed integrally with the wall 216. The ice flow dam 214 is formed integrally with the glass or container 212, and extends inwardly from the inner circumference or surface 218 of the wall 216 below the upper rim 220. However, rather than subtending only a portion of the open top area 222, the ice flow dam 214 has a toroidal configuration and extends about the entire inner circumference of the upper portion of the wall 216. The ice flow dam 214 includes a relatively large central opening or passage 228 disposed generally centrally therethrough. The opening 228 provides sufficient clearance to allow the insertion or placement of relatively large solids (e.g., ice cubes, drink garnishes, etc.) into the glass or container 212. The ice flow dam 214 is otherwise similar to the ice flow dam 114 of the container 110 of FIG. 1, i.e., a foraminous sheet having a plurality of fluid passages 226 therethrough, the passages 226 being configured to block the passage of relatively large solids while allowing liquids to flow readily therethrough.

FIG. 3 provides an illustration of a third embodiment of the drink container with ice flow dam 310. The drinking glass portion 312 of the container 310 of FIG. 3 has an inverted conical shape supported by a relatively thin stem and flared base, i.e., a martini glass configuration or the like. The drinking glass 312 includes a wall 316 having an inner surface 318 and an upper rim 320, the upper rim 320 defining the span of the open top 322. The inverted apex of the conical glass or container 312 forms the closed integral bottom 324 of the drinking glass 312 where it meets its supporting stem.

The ice flow dam 314 is formed integrally with the glass or container 312, and extends inwardly from a portion of the inner surface 318 of the wall 316 below the upper rim 320 to subtend a portion of the open top area 322, somewhat like the semicircumferential ice flow dam 114 of the beverage container and ice flow dam 110 of FIG. 1. However, it will be noted that in addition to the plurality of fluid passages 326, the ice flow dam 314 also includes a series of passages 330 in the form of slots or serrations along its inner edge. Such peripheral passages may be applied to any of the drink containers described herein. The ice flow dam 314 is otherwise similar to the ice flow dam 114 of the embodiment 110 of FIG. 1, i.e., a foraminous sheet having a plurality of fluid passages 326 therethrough, the passages 326 being configured to block the passage of relatively large solids while allowing liquids to flow readily therethrough.

FIG. 4 provides an illustration of a fourth embodiment of the drink container 410 with ice flow dam. The wall of the drinking glass portion 412 of the container 410 of FIG. 4 defines a somewhat sinusoidal curve from top to bottom, as can be clearly seen in the side elevation view in section of FIG. 4. Otherwise, the drinking glass 412 of FIG. 4 is similar to the glasses 112 and 212 of FIGS. 1 and 2, having a wall 416 with an inner surface 418 and an upper rim 420, the upper rim 420 defining the span of the open top 422. The closed bottom 424 of the glass 412 is formed integrally with the wall 416.

The ice flow dam 414 is formed integrally with the glass or container 412, and extends inwardly from a portion of the inner surface 418 of the wall 416 below the upper rim 420 to subtend a portion of the open top area 422, somewhat like the semicircumferential ice flow dam 114 of the beverage container and ice flow dam 110 of FIG. 1. It will be noted that the fluid passages 426 comprise passages formed generally in the center of the sheet comprising the ice flow dam 414, and passages formed along its juncture with the inner surface 418 of the wall 416. These outer peripheral passages may be incorporated in any of the other drink containers, and serve to allow all of the liquid within the container 412 to flow completely from the container. The ice flow dam 414 also includes passages 430 in the form of slots or serrations along its inner edge, similar to the configuration of the ice flow dam 314 of the inverted conical glass or container 312 of FIG. 3.

FIGS. 5 and 6, respectively, provide an elevation view in section and a top plan view of a fifth embodiment of the drink container 510 and ice flow dam. The drink container 510 of FIGS. 5 and 6 is quite similar to the second embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, the difference being in details of the configuration of the ice flow dam 514 of the drink container with ice flow dam 510. The drinking glass 512 includes a wall 516 having an inner surface 518 and an upper rim 520, the upper rim 520 defining the span of the open top 522. The closed bottom 524 of the glass 512 is formed integrally with the wall 516. The ice flow dam 514 is formed integrally with the glass or container 512, and extends inwardly about the entire inner circumference of the upper portion of the wall 516. The ice flow dam 514 includes a series of liquid passages 526 therethrough, some of the passages 526 being formed in the outer periphery of the ice flow dam 514 and extending radially to the inner surface 518 of the wall 516 of the container 512. A relatively large central opening or passage 528 is formed generally centrally through the ice flow dam 514, the opening 528 providing sufficient clearance to allow the insertion or placement of relatively large solids (e.g., ice cubes, drink garnishes, etc.) into the glass or container 512. The inner edge of the ice flow dam 514 has slots or reliefs 530 formed therein, forming a somewhat serrated edge.

FIG. 7 of the drawings is an environmental side elevation view in section of the first embodiment of the drink container and ice flow dam 110 in use, showing the function of the ice flow dam 114 within the container or glass 112. As the drinking glass 112 is tilted toward the horizontal to drain the last of the contents from the glass, the ice I (or other solids) within the glass 112 will tend to gather and flow toward the open top 122 of the container, particularly when carried along by the remaining beverage B within the glass or container. However, the ice I is stopped when it reaches the ice flow dam 114, which permits only the liquid or beverage B to flow through the passages 126 therethrough. Thus, the person drinking the beverage B may enjoy an ice-cold drink, while avoiding the problems that often occur with ice and liquid spillage from the glass.

FIG. 8 provides an environmental side elevation view in section of a conventional prior individual serving capacity drink container or glass G, not having an ice flow dam. The container or drinking glass G of FIG. 8 is oriented essentially as the container 110 of FIG. 7, i.e., to allow the user to drink the last of the contents of the glass G. However, it will be seen that as the glass G is tilted toward the horizontal, the last of the beverage B washes the ice I (or other solids) toward the open top T of the glass G and into the face of the drinker. The ice I will usually gather in one location in the glass or container when this happens, and then suddenly shift toward the open top T of the container, causing some of the beverage B and perhaps some of the ice I to spill around the mouth and face of the drinker, as shown in FIG. 8. The drink container with ice flow dam in accordance with any of the embodiments described herein prevents this spillage and results in a much more pleasurable experience when drinking an iced beverage from an open-topped glass or container.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims. 

1. A drink container with ice flow dam, comprising: an individual serving capacity beverage container, the beverage container having a wall defining an inner surface, and an upper rim defining an open top, the beverage container having a closed bottom formed integrally with the wall; and an ice flow dam extending from the inner surface of the wall below the upper rim of the beverage container, the ice flow dam subtending at least a portion of the open top, the ice flow dam being formed integrally with the beverage container.
 2. The drink container with ice flow dam according to claim 1, wherein the beverage container and the ice flow dam further includes a color imbued therewith.
 3. The drink container with ice flow dam according to claim 1, wherein the ice flow dam comprises a foraminous plate having a plurality of beverage passages therethrough.
 4. The drink container with ice flow dam according to claim 1, wherein the beverage container and the ice flow dam are formed of glass.
 5. The drink container with ice flow dam according to claim 1, wherein the beverage container and the ice flow dam are formed of plastic.
 6. The drink container with ice flow dam according to claim 1, wherein the ice flow dam extends from a portion of the inner surface of the wall of the beverage container.
 7. The drink container with ice flow dam according to claim 1, wherein the ice flow dam extends from the entire inner circumference of the wall of the beverage container and has a large opening disposed generally centrally therethrough.
 8. A drink container with ice flow dam, comprising: an individual serving capacity beverage container having a wall defining an inner surface and an upper rim defining an open top, the beverage container having a closed bottom formed integrally with the wall; an ice flow dam extending from the inner surface of the wall below the upper rim of the beverage container, the ice flow dam subtending at least a portion of the open top, the beverage container and the ice flow dam including a color imbued therewith.
 9. The drink container with ice flow dam according to claim 8, wherein the ice flow dam is formed integrally with the beverage container.
 10. The drink container with ice flow dam according to claim 8, wherein the ice flow dam comprises a foraminous plate having a plurality of beverage passages therethrough.
 11. The drink container with ice flow dam according to claim 8, wherein the beverage container and the ice flow dam are formed of glass.
 12. The drink container with ice flow dam according to claim 8, wherein the beverage container and the ice flow dam are formed of plastic.
 13. The drink container with ice flow dam according to claim 8, wherein the ice flow dam extends from a portion of the inner surface of the wall of the beverage container.
 14. The drink container with ice flow dam according to claim 8, wherein the ice flow dam extends from the entire inner circumference of the wall of the beverage container and has a large opening disposed generally centrally therethrough.
 15. A drink container with ice flow dam, comprising: an individual serving capacity beverage container having a wall defining an inner surface and an upper rim defining an open top, the beverage container having a closed bottom formed integrally with the wall; and an ice flow dam extending from the inner surface of the wall below the upper rim of the beverage container, the ice flow dam subtending at least a portion of the open top, the ice flow dam being a foraminous plate having a plurality of beverage passages therethrough.
 16. The drink container with ice flow dam according to claim 15, wherein the ice flow dam is formed integrally with the beverage container.
 17. The drink container with ice flow dam according to claim 15, wherein the beverage container and ice flow dam include a color imbued therewith.
 18. The drink container with ice flow dam according to claim 15, wherein the beverage container and the ice flow dam are formed of materials selected from the group consisting of glass and plastic.
 19. The drink container with ice flow dam according to claim 15, wherein the ice flow dam extends from a portion of the inner surface of the wall of the beverage container.
 20. The drink container with ice flow dam according to claim 15, wherein the ice flow dam extends around the entire inner circumference of the wall of the beverage container and includes a large opening disposed generally centrally therethrough. 